DIY With Bookhou: Woven Trivet

woven trivet diy
I have been collecting the selvage from my sewing projects and thought this was a fun way to use the material to create a nice trivet or little mat. if you don't have selvage scraps you can use and old shirt or pants and cut up strips to use. wool sweaters are really nice after the project you can wash it in hot water and it will felt nicely. this is also a nice project for kids.

what you need:
-four pieces of stretcher frame (I used 10 in.) - hammering into a scrap piece of wood works good too.
-nails and hammer
-scissors (not shown in picture)
-cardboard approx. 1.5 x 5 in. (not shown in picture)
-cut up scrap fabric (I used selvage that I have been collecting)

step 1
before you begin put the four corners together to create the frame and hammer nails about 3/4 in. apart - take the fabric and tie onto the first corner and begin to wrap around the nails on the top and bottom as shown.

step 2
take the cardboard and cut triangular notches with the scissors - take the fabric from the ball and wrap it around the cardboard (this will be your shuttle)

step 3
tie a knot to the first row

step 4
take the cardboard shuttle and begin to weave under and over - continue this way until you reach the other side and tie down the end piece.

step 5
remove the loops from the nails - and because it was under tension the loops will fill in from the expansion.

If you put nails on the other two ends and catch it on these as you weave then in the end you can finish off around the edge by hooking each loop through the one in front of it and so on until you have a finished edge all around the perimeter. We made pot holders like this as a kid.

I like the use of selvedge here - selvedge is so beautiful. I made my tot a baby blue woven cushion from his father's old blue work shirts. (I get them when the cuffs and collars fray.) The different textures and shades of blue make a really subtle woven effect. I didn't bother with making the frame - I pinned it to a large plump cushion and it worked out fine.

What a lovely alternative to the plastic loom/potholder kits. My girls recieved one of the plastic kits as a gift and the fabric loops smelled toxic, and the plastic loom quickly broke. But...they loved doing it. Thanks so much for a great idea!

The ceramic artist's name is Evelyne Rivest Savignac from Quebec - Arounna tells us she gets her work every year at the one of a kind show in Toronto - she doesn't have a website. You could maybe contact the One of A Kind Show in Toronto - http://www.oneofakindshow.com/toronto/artisans.php - here is their contact page: http://www.oneofakindshow.com/toronto/contact.php